Dozens of schools in Wisconsin are trying to make their kids healthier but one is getting special recognition from a national group. 84 schools in Wisconsin have signed onto the Healthy Schools program which works to develop good eating habits and make children more active.
Alliance for a Healthier Generation who runs the program says Sherman Elementary in Eau Claire has done “tremendous” work including shifting snack options for kids to healthier foods including whole grain options, says Executive Director Ginny Ehrlich.
The school has also instituted “safe routes” to school to encourage students to walk or bike there. In all more than 5,000 schools in the US are part of the program, Sherman was one of the 114 to win national recognition from the group.
Ehrlich admits that poor health choice in schools is only a reflection of how society has changed.
“What we need to do is shift back to a culture where eating better and moving more is the norm,” she says.
Unless the problem of childhood obesity is fixed, the health advocate believes today’s youth could be the first generation to live shorter lives than their parents.